Kaiulae: The Island Princess
by buckwolvhoosier
Summary: Kaiulae is the Princess of the Island Ohanu. She is forced to renounce her title and have her country annexed to Alagaesia, but Kaiulae is not giving up on her nation. As a last chance to save her country, she plans a dangerous mission to Surda.
1. Chapter 1

**Kaiulae: The Island Princess**

**Chapter 1**

Princess Kaiulae paced back and forth across the room in which she was "imprisoned." Her island country of Ohanu was overrun by King Galbatorix's soldiers. Ohanu Island lied a good 730 miles southwest of the island Illium near Surda. The island was rich with fertile soil that could grow tropical fruits, sugar cane, and coffee beans. Many tropical fish lived among the coral reefs and the locals would swim with them when they did not eat them. It was a very beautiful and remote island that has always been peaceful to its northerly neighbor, Alagaesia.

For generations, Princess Kaiulae's family have been ruling the island country, trading with Alagaesia for other resources. The trades have been fair until recently when Alagaesia became desperate for supplies. Alagaesia was at war with Surda and the rebel group known as The Varden. Kaiulae was aware of the war, but knew little about it until the King of Alagaesia decided to take over her small country.

She had led an effort to rid herself of the intruders, but only a massacre ensued. After, the people began to lose hope of ever gaining back their freedom. The people were forced to work in mines and grow food for Alagaesia, allowing to keep only the bare minimum for themselves. Ohanu had become a poor country within several months. Princess Kaiulae was forced to sign a document annexing her country to Alagaesia, abdicating her right as heir.

Now, the Princess (so called by her people only) was watched by the King's soldiers in her own palace; she could go where she pleased for the most part, but she had to watch what she said and what she did among the men. One wrong move and King Galbatorix would incarcerate her or worse, execute her. Fortunately, there were secret passages in the palace that allowed her, on rare occasions, to hold meetings with her fellow countrymen.

This night was once such occasion as the princess waited for the Captain of her military to visit with her. Nervously, she paced the room hoping that the man would hurry up. A faint knock could be heard before a hidden passage in the wall opened up revealing the Captain. "Your Highness." he bowed.

"Please, no need for that." Kaiulae said, ushering him to enter and sit down.

"Now, what is it that you would like to speak to me about?" He asked, barely above a whisper.

"You know of Surda-correct?"

The man cocked his head in confusion. "I have, your highness, but what does Surda have to do with anything?"

Kaiulae's eyes became huge. "Everything! Surda, along with a rebel group, have been taking arms against Alagaesia for quite some time. Thus far, they have been successful, and I want to ask for their help. We have never had any trades with the country, but that can easily change if they help us rid our land of the King's hold."

The Captain, whose name was Lebaiu, shook his head. "Your Highness-"

"Please call me Kaiulae." she interrupted.

"Kaiulae, this is madness. How can we possibly send word for their help? Also, what if they do not want to help us? It is too dangerous and the outcome is unpredictable."

"Lebaiu, you have served my family and your country honorably for many years. This is our last chance to help our country, and I would rather die trying than to sit idly and watch my country fall into further ruin. Are you going to help me or not?"

The Captain thought for a few minutes. With a heavy sigh he said, "Your Highness, Princess Kaiulae, Cheifess of Ohanu Island, I will help you on this quest."

Kaiulae let a warm smile cross her lips. "Thank you, Captain Lebaiu. When do you think we can set sail?"

"If you allow me at least three days, I can gather a crew and some supplies."

"Very well. Three days it is. Now, you should leave; I pray that we did not linger here too long to be overheard."

Lebaiu bowed and left the room the way he entered ready to embark on the most dangerous mission of his life.


	2. Chapter 2

**Kaiulae: The Island Princess**

**Chapter 2**

The night was cool and unnaturally still. Kaiulae had just finished packing a few of her belongings before sneaking out of the palace. Captain Lebaiu had arranged for two ships to set sail that night. He was clever enough to use the docks at the far side of the island where less guards stood on patrol. In order to get there, they had to travel through the wood avoiding the main roads. Under the palace, there was a tunnel that led to the treasure room, a treasure room that the King did not know about at the present. Like all treasure rooms, there was another exit that led under the back gate. It was the perfect way to leave the palace unnoticed.

She had hoped that they could get to the docks and be underway before an alarm sounded. They only had one shot as there was no back-up plan. Kaiulae listened outside her room making sure that it was clear. When no noise could be heard, she tip-toed to the secret passage and slipped through. Walking briskly, she met up with Captain Lebaiu and a three of his generals in one of the passage junctions. "Follow me," Lebaiu said, taking the lead. After him followed one of the generals, then the princess, and finally the other two generals. For a good twenty minutes they traveled through the tunnels until a wooden door blocked the way ahead of them.

The group entered the treasure room and took a moment to catch their breath and listen to their surroundings. So far they were not being followed. No alarm was sounded, which was also good news. Kaiulae walked over to an elaborate table decorated with gorgeous gems, pearls, golden candelabra, silver and gold chalices and other remarkable and valuable treasures. Some have been imported from neighboring countries, but most were native to their island. The princess took out a red velvet purse and grabbed a good two dozen pearls, pink and white, as well as some magnificent jewelry made from the magnetic metals and rare beads.

When she had finished, she nodded, and they continued to make their way through the secondary exit. The passage was stuffier and damp than the one they had come from, and they constantly had to wipe cobwebs from their face and avoid the rats and insects that inhabited the dark tunnel. Such a task delayed them more than they had wanted making them late to the next stage of their journey. The fresh night air was welcome after spending more than a half hour in the tunnel.

They waited until the guard patrolling the wall above them was a good distance away before exiting the tunnel, running into the woods. Now, they had to battle brambles, thick trunks and roots of the trees, a swamp, and then the volcanic mountain that marked the middle of the island. When they reached the volcano, they stopped for a reprieve before trudging on once more. It was almost daybreak when they reached the sandy shore. The two ships had already been commandeered by Lebaiu's men hours ago. While they were traveling, his men were loading the ship and preparing to set sail as soon as the princess was onboard.

Kaiulae set her pack on her bed before heading back on deck to help set sail. It took them about an hour and a half before they were officially ready to leave. The tide was beginning to come in when Captain Lebaiu caught a glimpse of dust rising in the distance. He picked up his telescope and saw that it was a large group of the King's soldiers on horseback heading towards the docks. Kaiulae's heart raced when she heard the news. "All hands on deck!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. "We have to leave now!"

The men scurried to their posts. The horses were getting closer. "Hurry!" she yelled again, becoming nervous. She ducked to avoid an arrow, but the man near her was unfortunate. He was pierced in the neck and collapsed to the ground, dead. "Captain, will we make it?"

Lebaiu ordered some more commands and then looked at her. "Aye, we just made it, and bloody close too. The Gods were certainly on our side this morning." Kaiulae turned and noticed that they were away from the docks and into the open sea.

She was about to relax when another terrorizing thought crossed her mind. "Will we be able to make it around the island and be far enough away before they follow us with their ships?"

"I sure hope so, your highness." It was better than nothing, so Kaiulae tried to relax. Her people were excellent sailors, so she took a deep breath and placed some more faith in the Captain and his crew. Their ship, _Zubela_, aptly named for the God of the Sea, was the lead ship. Behind them sailed, _Timbuae_.

The sun was already in the sky when they came to the other side of the island. From the looks of it, the King's men were still in the process of supplying the ships. The wind were in their sails allowing them to make full speed. "They will have to wait until a few hours before they can set said, and by then, we will be leagues away. Praise Zubela and Tikiwae for the good fortune!" Tikiwae was the God of Rock.

By the end of the day, they were a good eighty miles away from Ohanu Island with nothing but the open sea around them. Kaiulae prayed for more good fortune as they had a good week of sailing ahead before they reached Surda.


	3. Chapter 3

**Kaiulae: The Island Princess**

**Chapter 3**

Kaiulae stared at the midnight blue water trying to gather her courage. The country of Surda had been spotted in the distance and Captain Lebaiu calculated that they would arrive by late afternoon. Their week long journey was finally coming to a close, but she did not feel relieved. She closed her eyes as the wind carried ice cold water droplets onto her tanned face. The water was so much colder than the warm, tropical water that surrounded her island. Shivering, she took a step back from the railing, pulling her cloak tighter around her arms.

Behind her, she heard the men scramble around as they performed their duties admirably. Most were around her age, but a few were older while some were too young to be considered grown men. Aside from the Captain and his generals, the sailors wore tattered clothing exposing their poverty. Kaiulae felt a pang of guilt as she examined her forest green, silk, dress that she was wearing; the outfit complimented her body as well as her rank, but she still felt ashamed. With nothing else to do, she looked back down at the waves, trying to hold back her emotions.

"Princess," Captain Lebaiu's low voice penetrated the salty air.

Taking a deep breath, Kaiulae slowly turned towards the man. "Captain," she curtsied after he had inclined his head in respect. "Are we almost to shore?" She looked around and noticed that Surda was still several miles away, answering her own question.

"Not quite. I just wanted to know if you were all right—you look troubled."

Kaiulae sighed and turned back around to face the open sea. "I feel so small and insignificant, Lebaiu. How can I, a Princess from a small, remote, island, be taken seriously, especially given my youth?"

"You are referring to the leaders of Surda and the Varden, aren't you?"

"Aye. I don't know what to say to make them want to help our nation, especially since they are engaged in war as well. I am worried that this mission is doomed to fail."

The Captain listened carefully to her concerns before walking past her to lean upon the railing. Staring out at the horizon, he said, "It's all right to be afraid, Princess, for without fear, there cannot be courage." He remained silent for a moment before continuing. "Do you remember how it felt when the sand squished between your bare toes or the warm summer breeze caressed your face? What about the sound of laugher, the scent of wild boar roasting in an open pit, or the feeling of light-headedness you get after dancing? Can you remember the days of joy, pleasure, and luxury before Galbatorix's men took over?

"I can remember. And if I can remember, so can you. Allow your memories to give you the courage that you seek." Lebaiu stopped leaning to stand at his full height, towering over the Princess. With two steps, he crossed the distance between them to place a comforting hand upon her shoulder. "When I look at you, I see a fiery, determined, and cunning young woman; a woman who I am honored to call my Cheifess. I know that you will find a way to gain back your country, and I know that you made the right choice to sail to Surda.

"Look," he pointed, "We are almost there." Kaiulae followed his gaze, her eyes resting upon the sandy beaches of Alagaesia's southern neighbor. The shore was long—almost twice as long as her island- and that was only a small sliver of shore that outlined the country.

A sudden movement in the sky demanded her attention. "Did you see that?"

"Aye." Lebaiu squinted his eyes to try to make out what they had seen, but to no avail. "Taiku, hand me the telescope!" The skinny man nodded and returned promptly with the seeing glass. Placing the thin metal tube against his left eye, Lebaiu examined the sky.

"Princess! Come here, take a look!" Before she could respond, the Captain placed the telescope in her hand and told her where to look. "There, do you see it?"

Kaiulae adjusted the lens. "I don't see anything."

"Keep looking." She did and less than a minute later, she spotted the sapphire dragon.

"It's a dragon," she squealed. Her excitement was short lived as her nervousness returned. "Are you sure I can do this?"

Lebaiu thought for a moment before he began to reach into his pocket. "Seeing as the gods have blessed our journey, I can now pass this on to you. I found it the day we left," he said as he pressed a light blue pearl onto her palm.

Kaiulae gasped. "A Dream Pearl!" The light blue pearls were rare and it was said that if anyone found one, they would have good fortune.

"Take it; you need it more than I do."

"Lebaiu, I—" She paused. "Thank you." She closed her fingers around the pearl and brought her fist up to her heart.

With his sharp vision, Eragon could easily see the two ships sailing towards the Surdian shore with haste. He was sitting upon Saphira who hovered above the ground like a hummingbird. Taking care, he studied the design and the flags of the ships so that he could accurately report back to Nasuada and King Orrin. The two were worried that the ships carried more of the king's soldiers, but as Eragon examined the vessels, he concluded that the passengers were not soldiers.

"Who do you think they are?" Eragon asked.

_I am not sure, but it seems to me that they are coming here for refuge._ Eragon agreed and told his dragon to head back to the camp. On the ground once more, the Rider and his dragon immediately became bombarded with attention.

"So, what is your verdict?" Nasuada nervously played with the folds of her dress as she spoke. Next to her, King Orrin displayed a similar concerned visage.

"The ships are not full of the king's men, at least not from what I have observed. Saphira and I believe that the ships contain refugees."

"You are certain? What did the ships looks like; what colors did they have hoisted?" Orrin asked.

After visualizing the ships in his mind, he described their design and then said, "The flag I saw flying was light blue with a dark green star-like shape in the center. In the top left and bottom right corners, a lime green diagonal line could be seen and in the very corner, where a small triangle remained, it was pale yellow."

King Orrin's jaw dropped. He glanced over at Nasuada and then back at Eragon. "What is it?" Eragon wanted to know why they looked stunned.

"The flag you described belongs to the small island country of Ohanu." Nasuada said when Orrin still grappled with the idea, refusing to utter a word.

"Ohanu?" Now it was Eragon's turn to become baffled. "Why would representatives from Ohanu sail to Surda unannounced?"

"That's what I would like to know," King Orrin finally grunted.

"Well, whatever their reasons, we shall give them a hearing and accommodate them like any other guest." Nasuada said, speaking mainly to King Orrin.

He rolled his eyes, but did not argue against her. "Then I suggest that we prepare for their arrival. I will meet you at your tent in an hour." With that, Orrin turned in his heel and left.

Eragon walked alongside Nasuada as they started towards her tent. Still curious about the island country, he asked Nasuada several questions. "Who is their ruler?" The dark-skinned woman turned her head to look at Eragon, a small smile upon her lips—his questions amused her.

"Last I heard, Princess Kaiulae was their leader. She is young—younger than me actually—but that should not hinder her reputation; apparently she has the loyalty of her people, a great achievement for any ruler."

"Really?" He raised his eyebrows as uncertainty crossed his face. Nasuada simply nodded. "Do you think she is on one of the ships?"

Nasuada shrugged. "I'm not sure, but it is possible." She stopped walking to address Eragon further. "If she has come here, then it must be for a good reason. Ohanu has traded with Alagaesia for years, so, it stands to reason that perhaps tensions have risen between the two countries, especially since war has enveloped Alagaseia. Maybe the King cut off his trade and the Princess is seeking another option?"

"Well, we will find out soon enough. Come, let us not delay any longer."

The afternoon passed quickly as the Varden prepared for the arrival of the ships. As the sun began to set, the large sea vessels touched land, Eragon, Saphira, Nasuada, Orrin, and Arya all waiting on the beach waiting for the passengers to make their appearance.


End file.
